I bought Baby Chief # 38953 about a half a year ago. The trigger guard was bent and it had a later replacement hammer (and hammer/mainspring strut). Since there was no evidence elsewhere on the frame, cylinder, barrel, grip frame, etc, that it had been dropped and sustained a broken hammer sometime in it's past, this gun's original hammer had probably been bobbed, and another owner(?) wanted a hammer with a spur.

I lucked into the correct hammer and the strut online. When I first got the hammer it was pretty grimy. you had to move the sear and sear spring by hand and you could barely push the firing pin nose up and down. I soaked the hammer in Kroil. When I cleaned it up, I found I had a new unused hammer! Now the sear, sear pin, and spring work with the correct tension and movement, and once I remembered to oil the slot and the rivet ends in the hammer face the firing pin has good movement. I was just telling Hondo44 on the phone the other night that the hammer nose moved better since the Kroil bath, but that it was still stiff. Then I started thinking about it and I realized that after I installed it, the hammer nose was the only area that I didn't oil! What a dummy! Now it works great

I took the sideplate off and replaced the hammer and the hammer/mainspring Y end strut with the pre 1962 correct Ball end strut. Lubed the entire lockworks and slapped it back together. We know that S&W changed that early hammer roughly 1954-55 and the bases of those hammers would still have a ball socket to mate with the strut. Although the hammer pattern changed in the referrenced time, the strut wasn't changed until 1962. When S&W went to the Y end strut, they changed the bottom of the hammer from a ball socket to a horizontally mounted pin to catch the V in the strut. So you can assume any old pattern hammer will only take the Ball End strut, not the Y end strut. But you can't assume the opposite when you are looking at the later style hammer. It could have a ball end socket or either a horizontal cross pin in the base of the hammer. It pays to do the research.

The "new" hammer works great. The interface or contact areas between the trigger and the sear are excellent, smooth as silk. That's good luck for me, as I have never tried to stone any lockwork surfaces, be they S&Ws or Colts. I am sure I would have ruined them. Heck, I just started taking my revolvers apart recently!

I had a local gunsmith re shape the trigger guard. He did a great job, but it would have been better if I hadn't tried to do it myself before I took the gun to him!! It was better when I got it than it was after I tried to re shape it. Again, what a dummy! A man's got to know his limitations. The gun had about 60-65% remaining finish on it. I have shot it and it's very accurate and for my medium size hands no custom stocks or grip adaptors are needed.

Before





After














Obviously, this gun is a shooter and carry gun for me. It doesn't even approach collectable status, but it's clean as a whistle inside, has great lock up and carry, super smooth DA trigger, and has a very clean barrel and chambers. I couldn't be happier with it

Nice score, and a great save! Congratulations on a sweet little shooter to be a constant companion, you've done a great job bringing back!

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Jim(Hondo44) is a great resource to the Forum,I am sure he has had a hand in getting many S&W's back in service.With a little time and patience a project can really take shape,Nice work.

Jim is a good friend and an expert. He's given me plenty of advice and support.

Amen and amen. If not for Jim and David (Wilson) I would still be stumbling along, reading SCSW and scratching my head as I came to wrong conclusions. Each field of S&W collecting has its experts and these guys really fill the niche in the "small frame" sphere. I'm happy they are here and proud to call them my friends, even though we only get to know each other "virtually" from opposite sides of the country.

Froggie

PS Just to stay on topic for the thread, my compliments to Malysh. I've got virtually the same gun and would be happy to carry yours as well as my own. You've got a winner there.

Mike,

It came out beautiful. Great job on that rescue!

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Jim
S&WCA #819

I went back to my photo processing softwear and replaced the pictures in the thread with ones that show more contrast and are a little lighter. I did the same for my thread about the 1949 M&P snub.

I am trying to take better indoor pictures, but there is a learning curve. I live in the suburbs and although I have a detached house, its more discreet to take photos indoors.
I can just see some idiot calling 911 when I tote my rifles outside for pictures.

Eventually I may make a light box.

Malysh, pretty work. So tell me, what holster is that?

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Halfway and one more step

Thanks for your kind words.

The Holster is an old Lewis Mod 38-2 belt holster. It is specifically made for J frames but fits Colt D frames as well. The model number for the Colt snubs is different. I have no idea what it is but, if I find one I'm going to buy it!

Nice job. Love the gun, carried one for at least ten years. It was lucky to find its way into your caring hands. Have fun with it.

Sweet, and being the smallest 38 special S&W ever produced will make an interesting and unique carry piece .

When I took my dog, Gunny (see avatar) for a walk earlier, he insisted I take that old Chiefs Special with me. So did my Basset Hound, Yogi.

All 3 of us are getting old, so taking an old revolver with me just makes sense.

I hear you !
I have to admit I got lazy and wasnt carrying mine the day my two chocolate Labs decided to grab and pull a 5' foot diamondback out of the grass surrounding the local lake on our afternoon walk ..Fortunately it all ended without anyone dieing but learned my lesson to ALWAYS carry !